In the modern game, the ball can move from goal to goal so quickly that where he does it is irrelevant so much as how often he did it.

I want a better benchmark of player if I want to go into the market and get something better.

This year the ball has been pressed up in our defensive 50 for 40% of the games.

Snaring Travis all well & good, but who will provide delivery? Seems to me our footskills are not up to AFL standard. Could be a very expensive mistake. Having said that I think we sadly lack a key forward - total lack of planning since the departure of the likes of Neeta and Robbo. Any potential Alan Jakovic's out there anywhere? (ducks for cover!)

It would be somewhat ironic if Travis Cloke ended up a Demon. I'm sure that back in the 1960's Peter Cloke (Travis' uncle) played in some pre season intraclub matches with Melbourne but ended up a Richmond player as did younger brother David (Travis' father). I think the story was that the Cloke family lived on the wrong side of the border (for us) between the two clubs' suburban zones.

Things would have been different for the club in the late 60s and 70s if the Clokes had only lived on the other side of the road.

Cue a heraldsun feature on this topic in the coming days.... Perhaps titled "Dees dee-spair" with a photoshopped jumper?

Or perhaps Dee-light? Dee-lerious? Alli hope is that the demons go HARD for trades - no holds barred.

Clark would win a Coleman if we gad a decent midfield

Clark would win a Coleman if we gad a decent midfield

Early days but you never know, he might not need one!

In the modern game, the ball can move from goal to goal so quickly that where he does it is irrelevant so much as how often he did it.

I want a better benchmark of player if I want to go into the market and get something better.

I think the Ward call was a fair one; after all, his pace - and ability to find the footy - was why he was in the team, despite his penchant to turn it over.

The poster wasn't saying Yarran was only as good as Ward. (In fact, the poster was talking about some bloke called Yarren).

don't be shocked if nearly all clubs are linked to cloke by the end of the year. Cloke senior is probably behind all these rumours of MFC,Freo and GWS.

don't be shocked if nearly all clubs are linked to cloke by the end of the year. Cloke senior is probably behind all these rumours of MFC,Freo and GWS.

sure, but at least we are in there punching...for too long this club has sat back.

I think there's something good in it every time we make a noise that makes us sound like a club on the hunt for the best.

Instead of 'oh, they've got nothing' the story is 'oh, they have space for something'.

Like fighter pilots talking about a 'target-rich environment'.

sure, but at least we are in there punching...for too long this club has sat back.

sure, but at least we are in there punching...for too long this club has sat back.

Im happy if it's true. Just a bit suspicious that Cloke Sr is leaking false information to raise the price tag at Collingwood.

Yarren - Run out of the back half would help. We havent had that since Ward.

Yarran wasn't great in his first year but now he has got 40 games into him and is looking the goods. We will have the run off the back half when Blease gets some more games into him and he will be a lot cheaper

Im happy if it's true. Just a bit suspicious that Cloke Sr is leaking false information to raise the price tag at Collingwood.

But what is new, Moloney's agent is doing the same thing

Im happy if it's true. Just a bit suspicious that Cloke Sr is leaking false information to raise the price tag at Collingwood.

i am sure that is exactly what is happening....it is a tough game off the field too

But what is new, Moloney's agent is doing the same thing

Well, I suppose the difference is that Cloke has some currency :-)

Well, I suppose the difference is that Cloke has some currency :-)

Yes good point

I am not sure what Ward gave us considering after he would run he too often would turnover the possession to the opposition. Hardly a memorable player.

Flippant remark. Ward was highly regarded by coaches and selectors in seasons where we had some success. He had anticipation, pace and, despite what you say, quality disposal. A player with this sort of ability would be more than handy.

Cloke a Demon? No thanks...

give me quality mids, inside out mids, classy running mids, classy running halfbacks. small forwards...

cloke 'n' dagger,,, er' no....

Clark would win a Coleman if we gad a decent midfield

Add a few more team mates with some decent disposal skills and some speed/run and i'd have no doubts about this. Neeld playing him as a ruck rover on occasions isn't helping him to kick as many goals either. Pretty energy sapping. I understand why he's trying it though given Calrk's grunt and desperation at the contest.

Edited May 15, 201213 yr by Rusty Nails

Cloke a Demon? No thanks...

give me quality mids, inside out mids, classy running mids, classy running halfbacks. small forwards...

cloke 'n' dagger,,, er' no....

+1

Its good we are having a crack even though i think we have buckleys (pun intended) of getting him. But what i so desperately want to hear is someone saying we will focus on drafting the best midfielders we can. We need outside runners who can deliver a ball more than Abbott needs a personality upgrade.

I would think we and others will be trying to push either a Sidebottom or Beams out of the Collingwood midfield. There caps needs to break somewhere and i think it is getting close.

As much as getting him would be a fantastic get, I would much rather a quality mid to add some class in there. As has been stated, there's no use having the best forward line if you can't get the bloody thing down to them. Plus I actually think our forward line is in decent shape with Mitch Clark showing he can take a grab and kick some goals, plus we've got Jurrah and hopefully Watts will come on, then Howe can bob up and kicks some goals as well.

Flippant remark. Ward was highly regarded by coaches and selectors in seasons where we had some success. He had anticipation, pace and, despite what you say, quality disposal. A player with this sort of ability would be more than handy.

Agreed, I thought we got rid of him too early.

As much as getting him would be a fantastic get, I would much rather a quality mid to add some class in there. As has been stated, there's no use having the best forward line if you can't get the bloody thing down to them. Plus I actually think our forward line is in decent shape with Mitch Clark showing he can take a grab and kick some goals, plus we've got Jurrah and hopefully Watts will come on, then Howe can bob up and kicks some goals as well.

Clark has dropped a lot of marks and I think you will find a lot of his goals come from his ground work. Cloke on the other hand, is one of the best single grab marks going around...and his accuracy is much better than Clark from a set shot...and that is not to belittle Clark's performance, by the way.